The IPL 2008 champions had a dismal season last time around.
The number of headlines that the Rajasthan Royals (RR) are making these days is quite the buzz for any team in the Indian Premier League (IPL). However, they will have to determine their combination ahead of the next season. Fans will be hooked to know the RR retention list after the dismal performance of the team in IPL 2025.
One of the most notable discussions for the franchise has been around skipper Sanju Samson. Rajasthan Royals have almost acquired all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran in place of their wicketkeeper-batter.
To add to that, the situation at Rajasthan Royals is a complex one at the moment, with a lot going on under one roof. A few members of the support staff, including head coach Rahul Dravid, parted ways with the franchise, followed by former CEO Jake Lush McCrum. Hence, it would be important for the management to have clear plans for the RR retention list for the upcoming season.
The Rajasthan Royals have always invested heavily in young talent, and there cannot be a better example than Vaibhav Suryavanshi to prove that. Having said that, here’s a list of a few domestic talents who would be certainties in the Rajasthan Royals retention list.
The first thing on the mind of the RR management would be retaining the most promising young blood. This will help the team have a young core. Here are some of the certainties in the RR retention list.
Forget about domestic talents! Vaibhav Suryavanshi would be the first name in the minds of the management, even before some of the capped options. The youngster, who was introduced to the big stage last season, has already made a mark with an impactful century.
It is therefore very safe to state that Vaibhav Suryavanshi will surely be on the RR retention list. The rate at which he scores runs and takes the attack to the opposition is a brilliant skill to have, and the Rajasthan Royals would be pleased to have him on board.
This might come as a surprise for a lot of fans, but given the situation of the franchise, coupled with the skills of the wicketkeeper-batter, would propel the team to have Kunal Rathore in the Rajasthan Royals retention list.
Though he has represented the franchise in just one match, which is too small a sample size, Rathore has shown his skills at the domestic level, scoring 254 runs in 13 innings so far. To add to that, with Sanju Samson to CSK trade finalising, it would be great for the franchise to have a backup wicketkeeper-batter.
If one is a fan of the Rajasthan Royals, this decision is quite a no-brainer. Riyan Parag was the franchise’s choice to take up the responsibility to lead the side in the opening games last season, in the absence of Sanju Samson.
To add to that, the all-rounder has shown his ability with both bat and ball across seasons for the franchise, and can stand up to the occasion with match-winning performances. The RR management would love to have him on the RR retention list to groom him for a bigger role.
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The 2008 champions are on the cusp of making some strong choices ahead of the IPL 2026 auction, and the changes are most likely going to reflect in the Rajasthan Royals released players 2026 list. Here are a couple of domestic stars who could get the axe ahead of the next season.
The 30-year-old has represented three IPL teams to date, with the Rajasthan Royals being the latest one. However, the best two seasons for the right-arm pacer from Mumbai were with Chennai Super Kings in 2023 and 2024, when he picked 21 and 17 wickets respectively.
Last season, Tushar Deshpande could manage a modest nine wickets in the 10 matches that he featured in. To add to his woes, his economy holds a bit on the higher end (10.62), which is troublesome for the franchise. Hence, Deshpande might find himself amongst the RR released players 2026 list, and will hope that a franchise breaks the bank for him in the auction.
The right-arm speedster was in the Mumbai Indians (MI) camp for a couple of years before the five-time champions released him in the mega-auction. As a result, Akash Madhwal landed in the Rajasthan Royals setup in 2025.
To one’s surprise, he played just four matches for the Rajasthan Royals, in which he scalped as many wickets. Madhwal has got an impeccable yorker in his ranks, with which he impressed many during his time with his former franchise. But his economy in 2025 was in excess of 11, and he will certainly be on the Rajasthan Royals released players 2026 list.
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